Twilight on New Horizons
by Sovereign and Unbroken
Summary: Twilight Sparkle, Junior Inquisitor of the Equestria Empire, has finally received the chance to become a full-fledged Inquisitor. Tracking down a mysterious "Blue Witch" and the stolen relic, the Cube of Fatorahl, she unknowingly tangles herself, her crew, and her best friends in a web of lies, deceit, and death. / Heavily inspired by Warhammer 40K. Still in need of a few good OCs.
1. Prologue

Within the circular metal chamber, stood two figures. One was slight, lithe, and feminine. The woman's hair was three different shades; sapphire blue, violet, and rose. Her eyes were violet, and a faint glow rose from her irises. The light coat of fur that covered her entire body was colored a pale gray mulberry, and a single violet horn rose from her brow. The tip of her horn was glowing the color of ripe raspberries. She wore a form-fitting, short-sleeved, black bodyglove, and a silver gorget with a smooth blue gem in the center hung at her throat.

Behind her stood a hulking form, tall and broad. The figure was clad in rust-red armor from head to toe, and the metal haft of a sword extended from a scabbard at its hip. It stood motionless behind the woman, tensed.

The woman exhaled deeply, and closed her eyes. The ambient temperature fell quickly, and her breath condensed into a host mist. The glow on her horn brightened, and she fell backwards soundlessly. Firm, cold metal hands closed gently around her left arm and her waist. The armored minder gently cradled the woman's form in both arms, and turned about soundlessly. He exited the room, and marched down the hall.

xXx

She flew through the ship, bodiless. She hurtled past walls and crew members, most of them not even noticing her ghostly form zip past. The more sensitive - unicorns, the lot of them - looked away from what they were doing for a moment, glanced around, and returned to work.

She probed the minds of dozens of them. First, she was Golden Sprocket, one of the ship's chief engineers. She became one with Sprocket. She was Sprocket. She worried about her pregnant wife, who instead of working in the mess hall like she normally did, was back in their shared cabin with one of many physicians on the ship.

Then she was Lemony Fresh, one of the cleaning crew. The cleaning chemicals, lemon-scented of course, spilled out into the hallways as she mopped, whistling a happy tune. A clean ship is a happy ship! she thought, smiling proudly. And I'm one of the lucky ones who gets to make it a happy ship! It was a shame not everyone shared her point of view.

She darted out of one body and to the next. Within a moment, she was Super Nova, a navigator up on the bridge. Her forehead tingled as her horn lit up, and she and the other navigators guided the ship through slipspace safely. She could feel the Ship Mistress' gaze fall upon her.

She was a servitor, with only a basic mind. She found lifting and moving her crates to be the only activity she found pleasure in. But it was difficult for her to do. She so loved her crates, but it was the most difficult task her tiny mind could comprehend.

She was an armorer, sitting silently in the Ship Mistress' personal armory, awaiting orders. She was upset that she had to miss a date with that comely lass from the bridge to be "on call" for the Ship Mistress. But what the Ship Mistress wants, she gets.

She sifted through so many bodies, and so many minds. She gently probed many more, simply testing their depths. She lost track of who she really was. For a short moment, she forgot her own name, her mission, and why she had done this exercise in the first place.

She was Twilight Sparkle, Junior Inquisitor of the Equestrian Empire, favored of Princess Celestia and apprentice of Solar Captain Stockade. And she was on a mission that she would not fail.

**xXx**

Junior Inquisitor Twilight Sparkle awoke with a start. She was almost surprised when she felt the soft silk of her bed-sheets under her. The lights of her personal cabin were dimmed, and she was still surprisingly cold. She groped about for her blankets, and pulled them tightly around her shoulders. A light layer of frost had encrusted itself on her bodyglove.

"You didn't go through my things again, did you?" Twilight asked, staring at the blank wall across from her bed.

There was a long silence. "I only did that one time, and you're still bringin' it up." A baritone voice grumbled, followed by a throaty chuckle.

"It never hurts to ask."

Twilight scrambled for a moment, before she found purchase on the metal floor. Her bare feet slapped against the cold metal as she stood and turned to face the source of the voice.

The tall, broad form of her minder stood in the corner of the room, his helmet tucked in the crook of his arm. His coat the same rusty color as his armor, and his hair was short, dark, and messy. His tail was lost, cased within his armor. There was a light skin of frost across the front of his armor. The scabbard on his hip was empty - his sword left at the entrance of Twilight's impressive cabin as a sign of trust and respect.

"You know, Lugnut," Twilight said softly, pulling the blankets tightly around herself, "every time I perform that exercise, I swear it gets different..."

Lugnut shrugged, the movement exaggerated by the bulk of his shoulder-pads. "Don't know what to tell you, ma'am," he replied, clapping his helmet between both of his large, gloved hands, "I ain't got any experience doin' what you do."

Twilight sighed to herself, and glanced at the chronometer on the wall. She glanced back. "What's next on our schedule, Lugnut?"

"You've called a meeting of the crew," Lugnut replied, picking up a data-tablet from Twilight's nightstand, "specifically, the combat elements of the crew."

Twilight nodded, and moved to her wardrobe. She needed something more appropriate than a bodyglove to give a speech to the crew. It just didn't do for the majority of them to see her in such apparel. Lugnut, data-tablet in hand, slowly paced towards the entrance of the cabin.

"I'll be just out here," he said softly, clamping his helmet onto his gorget, "I shall await your orders."

As Lugnut disappeared from sight, Twilight let the blankets bunched around her shoulders fall onto her bed. She peeled off her bodyglove, wincing as the ice plucked at her delicate skin. She balled up the bodyglove, and tossed it into a nearby basket. She opened her wardrobe, and began rooting through it for something fitting of a Junior Inquisitor to wear.

**xXx**

The entirety of the thoroughly trained combatants aboard the Solar Aegis were seated together in one large atrium. Upward of a hundred souls sat in the room. All speakers and intercoms on the ship were open to the atrium's frequency, and several pict-screens scattered about the halls displayed a live-feed of the room.

Junior Inquisitor Twilight Sparkle, looking splendid in a dark leather overcoat that hung down to her thighs, a royal purple shirt, and black trousers weaved of a ballistic fibre, seemed to hover out onto a raised pedestal. Knee-high boots of treated leather were strapped tight, and a scabbard hung at her hip. The haft of her blade was decorated intricately, and the pommel topped with a blue gem. Her gorget was tucked beneath her overcoat, but still plainly visible. At the foot of the pedestal, the armored bulk of Lugnut stood, stock-still, a hand resting on the haft of his sword, still sheathed.

Twilight glanced out at the sea of faces. She recognized several of them - some were her best friends, others simply loyal members of the crew. She cleared her throat, "Friends, comrades, fellow loyal servants of the Princesses..." she began, her voice carrying easily. All across the ship, her voice was blared from intercoms and speakers. "I welcome you all. Today, we finally set forth - not just for another training mission. Not just to babysit a regiment of Guardsman. No, my friends..." She bowed her head for moment, both her eyes closing tightly. She looked back up, her eyes open once more. "Today, we set forth on our first real mission. We have been entrusted with a matter of dire importance. An item of great import has been stolen from us - a relic known as the Cube of Fatorahl, that contains knowledge enough to blind our greatest scholars. Knowledge is power, so we must guard it well. We are going to set forth immediately to retrieve this item, and if at all possible, bring those who have stolen it to swift justice. I promise you that.

"Exactly one week ago, we set course. Most of you haven't the faintest idea where we are headed, only that it is your duty to make sure that ship gets there. Some of you know where we are off to, but not why. We make haste to Perseus Minor, which is where our investigation shall begin." Twilight's eyes scanned the room, looking almost everyone in the eyes. "If you do not wish to continue with us, that's fine. You will be paid appropriately for your services, and nothing will be held against you. For the rest of you... Prepare for a rough journey. This won't be easy. That is all - dismissed."

Twilight turned promptly, and stepped down off the pedestal. She felt an icy finger crawl through her mind, and the gem in her gorget glowed softly. Lugnut, now at her side, looked at a data-tablet in his hand.

"Your presence has been requested by the Ship Mistress, ma'am." Lugnut said.

"I know." Twilight said softly.

****Lugnut tilted his armored head at her, but said nothing. They set off for the bridge.


	2. Landfall

Within the sealed environment of the _Solar Aegis'_ bridge, a dark green unicorn stood, data-tablet in his left hand. His right hand hung at his side, and a small, green, metallic cube hovered by it. His hair was dark, and streaks of red ran through it, and his tail hung at a medium length. He wore a green t-shirt, bearing the insignia of his old tech-academy, a lightning bolt and two screwdrivers behind it. On top of that, he wore an orange jacket, a pair of heavy, pocketed, black trousers, and boots. A small box of chocolates was tucked neatly away in his coat pocket. A gorget with a green gem hung at his throat.

He idly flicked through the servitor manifest, noting any irregularities. His gorget and horn both glowed dully. He flicked to a pict-screen on his tablet, and watched as a clutch of servitors, half-flesh, half-machine, staggered through their daily routines, their lobotomized brains incapable of doing anything without instruction. _That's where I come in,_ he mused idly.

Vorse Circuit, Control-Captain of Servitor operations aboard the _Solar Aegis_, was bored out of his mind. Handling the servitors was an easy enough job for one of his technical knowledge, and it paid well enough, but it was dull._ Of course_, he thought, _better dull in the climate-controlled bridge than in the hot, stuffy servitor bay._

Vorse risked a glance up and around the bridge. It was lavishly decorated - at the request of the Ship Mistress. Velvet curtains hung at certain intervals, sometimes covering an actual viewing-port. Plants, all alive and incredibly exotic, also decorated the space. Many were brightly colored and lively. All seemed to fit perfectly where they were.

The Ship Mistress sat, one leg crossed over the other, at the command helm. She wore a lavish, deep purple gown, that revealed_ just the right amount of her chest_, Vorse thought. He quickly shook the thought from his mind. Over her gown, she wore a thick robe of crimson, which was, obvious for the observant, laced with ballistic material. Beneath her gown, the Ship Mistress wore a black bodyglove. The shapely unicorn sat, eyes locked on something dead ahead. Her coat was a pristine white, and her hair, beautifully curled, was a rich purple, her tail unseen beneath her. A gorget with a brightly colored, swirling red and blue gem hung at her throat, just above her cleavage.

The door on the far side of the bridge hissed as it opened, and the velvet curtains were tossed open. In paced the Junior Inquisitor, none other than Twilight Sparkle herself. Everyone on board the Solar Aegis knew who she was, and she certainly looked the part. Her brutish minder_, Lump Gut or something or other_, Vorse thought, stamped after her. Vorse didn't pay very much attention to names - he knew only who he needed to know. Every other sod was fine on their own.

Twilight Sparkle moved straight towards the Command Helm, and the Ship Mistress, while her minder hung back at a respectful distance. The Ship Mistress rose from her dais, and moved to meet Twilight. The two stopped just a few paces shy of each other, and smiled.

"Twilight," the Ship Mistress breathed with a nod of her head.

"Ship Mistress Rarity," Twilight replied, returning the nod with a large smile. "It's been awhile since we could do this."

Rarity laughed, a soft, melodic laugh, and brushed a bit of her hair out of her face. Her deep azure eyes lit up as she spoke. "Indeed it has, Twilight, darling. We really should get together like this more often." She arched an eyebrow at Twilight, and for the longest moment, there was silence. "I suppose you're finally doing it, darling."

Twilight blinked, not quite understanding. "Doing what, Rarity?"

"You're finally going to become a fully-fledged Inquisitor, darling," Rarity said, "a witch-hunter, an enforcer of justice."

Twilight paused, and gave a nod. "I guess so, but, I have to succeed in capturing the-"

Rarity raised her hand slowly, and Twilight silenced herself and arched a brow at the Ship Mistress. "Darling, I think we all know you're going to succeed." Rarity turned and stared out the large viewing port to the front of the bridge. Twilight stood beside her.

"It's almost strange, isn't it?" Twilight asked herself, "In two days, we'll be on our first, official Inquisitorial mission..."

**xXx**

Inside the _Solar Aegis'_ combat armory, Quick Draw sat, contentedly cleaning his weapon; a custom-made, internally silenced 9 millimeter pistol. He had named it Jane. His coat was a pale yellow, and his hair was dark brown and cut short, and his tail was barely noticeable. His eyes were a similar dark brown, nearly black, and his wings were opened out behind him. He was a tall, lean figure, wearing a sleeveless black bodyglove, a pair of worn black work trousers, and a set of flight goggles. There was a small hole in his left ear.

Beside him, even more of his gear was laid out. The many plates of his lightweight battle armor, his long-barreled lasrifle, a set of steel tonfas, and a standard combat knife. He had delicately cared for his lasrifle, but he spent more time on his favorite pistol.

When he had gotten word that they were finally making landfall, albeit within the next day or two, he had come to the armory to care for his gear. He sat silently as the others hustled and bustled about the armory, shouting out for specific parts or waiting for servitors to deliver their belongings.

Two figures strode past the gaping mouth of the armory. Both were pegasi. One had a silver coat and a grey head of hair with white streaks, and a short tail. His hair was down to a crew-cut. His eyes were a shining dark blue. He wore a dark leather flight jacket, unzipped to expose a white, sleeveless undershirt and a set of dog tags. His trousers were dark grey and covered in pockets, and his boots were black and freshly polished.

The other had a murky green coat, a chocolate brown head of hair and tail, and a matching goatee. His eyes were gold, and he wore matching apparel. On his flight jacket,_ 'Talon Five'_ was pinned, along with the signature of combat-trained pilots in the Imperial military. "Finally time to gear up," Hotshot said, grinning widely.

"Damn straight it is," Maverick replied, returning the grin, "and I'm gonna get at least ten confirmed kills before this mission's over." The two continued down the hall, through several air-gates, and entered the hangar-bay. Air - and space - crafts of all kinds. Military-grade dropships, fighter crafts designed to operate within and without an atmosphere, civilian and military style shuttles, and a variety of cargo-shuttles.

The duo moved over to a pair of customized Mark VI Hellfire Fighters. One bore the snaggle-toothed face of a howling Ursa Major on its nose, while the other had a standard red-capped nose. Both were covered in custom decals that would have broken standard military regulation. But, of course, this was no standard operation.

Maverick crossed to the snaggle-toothed Hellfire, and climbed up into the cockpit. Hotshot followed suite, clambering into his Hellfire. The canopies of both crafts hissed shut, and Hotshot opened his radio frequency.

"Ready to run the simulation again?" Maverick's voice asked, slightly slurred by static over the radio. "You only won that last time because my controls were slow."

Hotshot chuckled, and flipped a switch. A small pict-screen lowered from the heavy canopy of his Hellfire, and brought itself forward, just a few inches from Hotshot's face. "You're on." And, within the contained environment of a training simulation, Hotshot's Hellfire roared to life.

**xXx**

Quick Draw had just finished reassembling his pistol when he noticed the sterile metal table beside him had been occupied. Its occupant was a familiar face; a coat of cyan, and a rainbow mane and tail. Her wings were tucked behind her thin, athletic frame, and she carefully worked on cleaning a heavy rifle. Quick Draw recognized it as a CZ4 Gauss rifle, otherwise known as the Slugthrower.

Rainbow Dash grinned at Quick Draw as she saw him staring at her rifle. "She's a beaut, ain't she?" Rainbow Dash asked, lovingly patting the stock of her rifle. "Got to keep her in top-shape for when we need her."

Quick Draw nodded ponderously. It was something he knew well; a well-maintained weapon protected its user like a well cared for hellhound does its master. Dash continued cleaning her weapon, albeit without silence.

"So, you ready to make landfall? It was, what, two days?" Rainbow Dash said idly. "I can't wait. Apparently, we're going in quietly. No big fuss, no hammer-and-anvil stuff. Should be fun."

**xXx**

The _Solar Aegis_ hung in orbit above Perseus Minor, and a small fleet of cargo and personnel shuttles soared down towards the surface of the planet. More than half of them contained servitors and swabbies, going on-planet to fetch supplies for the ship. Only a quarter of the shuttles contained persons of Twilight's personal retinue.

The shuttles landed in the sprawling hive-city of Recore, and in a swift, practiced exercise, the dozens of personnel dispersed to complete their assigned tasks.

Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and a small team moved towards the Librarium, in the heart of the city. Their shuttle waited at a nearby space-port, containing a small armory. Riding aboard an unmarked gunship that soared above the city, it took half an hour to reach the massive, sprawling building known as the Librarium.

The gunship landed, and disgorged the team. Twilight Sparkle lead the team, with Rainbow Dash followed quickly after her. Quick Draw, Lugnut, and two other armed guards followed behind, giving the two ranking officers a measure of personal space.

Rainbow Dash was clad in a form-fitting suit of white plated armor, with her Gauss rifle harnessed on her back. The visor of her helmet slid upwards with a hiss. Her wings, usually splayed out proudly behind her, were tucked away safely, in her armor. Instead, a small boost-pack was secured to the back of her breastplate.

Quick Draw wore a suit of lightly plated, mottled gray armor. Choosing to leave his helmet in the shuttle, he instead wore his flight goggles down over his eyes. His rifle was harnessed on his back, his pistol on his right leg, and his knife on the left side of his hip.

Lugnut stamped along with the group, his chainsword sheathed in its scabbard, and his bolt-pistol holstered. Twilight Sparkle stopped at the entrance of the Librarium, and glanced at the rest of the group.

"This is where the item was stolen..." She said to herself, "Let me do the talking, and be careful. This building is filled with relics to be studied."

"Shut up and don't touch anything," Dash grinned, "got it."

The group entered. The building was surprisingly empty - only a scant few guards and clerks were visible in the large entrance. None of them seemed to notice the group enter. Twilight hesitated for a moment, before she cast a glance about.

She noticed a woman in crimson robes, followed by a large man in full battle-plate, pacing towards them. She could sense Lugnut reach for the haft of his sword, but, with a gentle mind-nudge, she stilled him.

"Hello," the woman said brightly, "you must be Inquisitor Sparkle." She and her minder stopped a respectful distance away, and she bowed slightly. "I am the Head of Research for the Cube of Fatorahl, Runic Point."

Twilight blinked. "How did you know who I was?"

Runic Point laughed slightly. It was an innocent, almost childish sound. Twilight noted Runic Point's wings, tucked carefully behind her. Her coat was a frosty blue, and her hair was just a few shades darker. She seemed just a tad too young to take on the role of Head of Research, but of course, with the youth-restoring procedures available for a price, one could never be too sure. She pointed up at the ceiling, and that was when twilight noticed the sensors there.

"We had you and your retinue identified the moment you stepped in, Inquisitor," Runic Point said, "and it is an honor to finally meet you."

Twilight nodded gently. "Of course, but..." She hesitated. "I was informed that Dusty Tome was the Head of Research for the Cube."

Runic Point's face blanched slightly. "He_ was_... Unfortunately, I inherited the role from my master. He was killed when the Relic was taken."

Twilight nodded thoughtfully. "Ah. Forgive me, then." There was a long silence, before Twilight cleared her throat. "Could you take my retinue and I to the relic's holding area?"

****Runic Point nodded, and turned on her heels. Her armored minder followed as she led the way, deep into the bowels of the Librarium.


End file.
